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In article entitled "How Rob Ford could improve T.O." the Toronto Sun suggests that Mayor Rob Ford consider a ban on panhandling, doing away with the mandatory plastic bag fee, and implementing a cyclist licensing program. We've already polled readers about the latter two suggestions at one pointor another, but what about the first? Is this an idea that makes any sense?

There's little doubt that aggressive panhandlers can pose a nuisance to pedestrians going about their business, but one wonders whether or not the desire to outlaw such an enterprise just misdiagnoses the symptom for the disease. The presence of panhandlers on city streets marks a deeper problem than social awkwardness, and merely banning the activity does little to address the core problem of poverty.

Below is some feedback from our Twitter followers on the Sun's suggestion and an opportunity to vote in a poll on the subject. Given the sentiment of the tweets, the poll is hardly placed in a neutral context, but I wanted a way to keep the question open beyond the initial Twitter call.